


Patience

by eyeslikeonyx



Series: A Consort to a King [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Fertility Issues, Fluff, Game of Thrones AU, M/M, Magic, Mpreg, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-20 05:18:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13710669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyeslikeonyx/pseuds/eyeslikeonyx
Summary: King Consort Sidney of Westeros has always been a level-headed man. He never tries to force things in his life to move a certain way, even though he easily could with how powerful of a mage he is. He allows time to pass naturally, and his patience has proven to benefit him much more than he feels he rightfully deserves. The mistreatment he suffered at the hands of cruel young boys when he was so small; the despicable men he would encounter as a soldier and a spy; the way men and women would consistently try to seduce him, even after he pushed them all away—it had all been worth it. His patience has proven to be one of his greatest virtues as a man and a soldier. His patience gave him Zhenya.Of course, King Consort Sidney’s patience does wear thin every so often.





	Patience

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first of a series of snippets I will be posting in relation to my story [A Consort to a King.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13488150) I am so happy everyone enjoyed ACTAK, and I am excited to keep expanding this universe little by little! Your comments and kudos have been so kind!
> 
> (If you haven't read ACTAK yet, I recommend reading it first before reading this. I guess it could be read as a standalone, but it might help to have some background knowledge before reading this. Your choice.)
> 
> Thank you, [Julia,](http://enceiles.tumblr.com) for being my beta once again! You're the best!
> 
> Shoutout to [Haylee](http://reepeat.tumblr.com) for being a kickass cheerleader and encouraging me to keep writing. Thanks for being an awesome friend!
> 
> There are more details for warnings in the end notes if you want to read those first. This is nowhere hear as crazy as ACTAK, so there's not as many warnings.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy! Comments and kudos are welcome!
> 
> (tumblr: [eyeslikeonyx](http://eyeslikeonyx.tumblr.com))

King Consort Sidney of Westeros has always been a level-headed man. He never tries to force things in his life to move a certain way, even though he easily could with how powerful of a mage he is. He allows time to pass naturally, and his patience has proven to benefit him much more than he feels he rightfully deserves. The mistreatment he suffered at the hands of cruel young boys when he was so small; the despicable men he would encounter as a soldier and a spy; the way men and women would consistently try to seduce him, even after he pushed them all away—it had all been worth it. His patience has proven to be one of his greatest virtues as a man and a soldier. His patience gave him Zhenya.

Of course, King Consort Sidney’s patience does wear thin every so often. He is not a perfect man, and there are times where he lets his true feelings bleed through his stoic facade. Lying in his bed and speaking to Nicklas, the Royal Physician, after yet another failed examination to see if he has conceived the true heir to the Iron Throne is most certainly one of those times.

“If I may be entirely honest,” Nicklas says, “I’m genuinely surprised that you are not with child yet, especially considering how you and your husband are almost animalistic with how much sex you two have.”

“I don’t know what else to do at this point,” Sidney pouts. “I have done everything you have asked of me, and yet I am _still_ unable to bear a child.”

“You also have to understand that there has not been a male carrier in our time—or ever, really. I know you’re not the only male carrier in our realm, but you are the only one who has matured enough to conceive. It’s already difficult enough for women to bear and birth children, and you and the Marner boy are very rare and special cases. You tell me that your mother also struggled with bearing children, so it is not abnormal for you to face problems with fertility as well.” Sidney sighs and rolls into his side. Nicklas is right in the fact that Sidney is not normal and, therefore, things will be much harder for him—and for Mitchell Marner, too, when his time comes. The late Lady Trina’s difficulties to conceive are definitely something that Sidney has to consider as a reason for his trials. He does not blame her, but he knows that things pass along between generations, including infertility. Nicklas is doing everything that he can, though, and Sidney is eternally grateful for the Royal Physician’s knowledge and companionship. “The next best advice I can give you is to stay away from stress.” Sidney rolls his eyes.

“Easier said than done when you have seven kingdoms to run.”

“I know this, but if you want to have children, then you need to at least try. It’s not just for the benefit of making sure you conceive, but it’s also for your personal overall health. If you cannot take care of your body, then you will not be able to have children.”

Sidney wishes Nicklas was wrong, but he knows the Physician well enough by now to know when he is being very deathly derious.

“I will start limiting my time in meetings,” Sidney sighs. He does not wish to do so, but he knows that he will need to. He wants to give heirs to his husband. He wants to grow their family.

“Spend some time with your horse or with Jake,” Nicklas suggests kindly. “You always tell me that you feel much better when you are with either of them.” Sidney absently nods his head and stares out toward Blackwater Bay glistening under the bright morning sun with his trustworthy Direwolf, Vera, nuzzling close to him. He does love getting to spend time with Jake. He is no longer a simple babe, growing very quickly right before his very eyes. Jake is already practically his and Zhenya’s son, and the adoption will be permanent soon. But Jake will never possess the Iron Throne; the Royal Council will never allow it. Sidney cannot say that he is too disappointed by the decision. He has a feeling that Jake will not need to be King to prove his worth to the people of Westeros. Only time will tell.

“Thank you, Nicklas. Tell Alex I said hello.” Nicklas nods once and grins.

“I most certainly will. Enjoy the rest of your day, Sidney.”

Nicklas sees himself out, leaving Sidney to ponder alone. He has been the King Consort of Westeros for just over a year now, and he still has no children to show for it. Of course, Zhenya never fails to remind him that they married each other on the throes of love, not based on Sidney’s ability to carry their children. But the Royal Council and the people of Westeros are becoming anxious. He needs to present an heir to House Malkin, and he needs to do it soon.

Sidney and Zhenya had made a promise to each other when they began really trying to conceive that he would not force himself to bear a child. Zhenya wants Sidney to let his body do this naturally. Sidney understood Zhenya’s fears of letting magic play a vital role in the building of their family. Sidney’s family paid the price of using magic to let a child be born into this world, and he does not wish to bear that burden on his and Zhenya’s own children. Although he could easily use his own magic to hurry the process along, he would never go against Zhenya’s wishes, for they are his own wishes, too. He takes a deep breath and draws a bath for himself, magically filling the tub with steaming water just the way he likes it.

A day tending to his horse and spending time with little Jake while Zhenya is in meetings will cure his fertility woes.

**/\\\//\\\//\**

“What did Nicklas say this morning?” Zhenya murmurs into the back of Sidney’s neck later that night. They have just ended their second round of truly earth-shattering sex, and Sidney would not be entirely surprised if there was a third round in their very near future. Sidney basks in the way Zhenya curls himself around him from behind and holds him so sweetly and securely. The Seven truly blessed him with a wonderful husband. He cannot even be entirely upset over the morning’s news.

“Still without a child,” Sidney admits tiredly. Zhenya only hums against Sidney’s skin and rests his large hand against Sidney’s still very toned stomach. For once, Sidney wishes it wasn’t.

“We have time, my love,” Zhenya assures him.

“But the Council—”

“The Council is irrelevant to our marriage and our family. It is up to the Seven as to when we will finally have children. We have to trust that things will work as they should.”

“And what if I never bear you an heir?” Zhenya is quiet for some time, caressing Sidney’s belly with his thumb. His breaths tickle the dark hairs on the back of Sidney’s neck, making the King Consort giggle.

“I will never cease my love for you,” Zhenya promises quietly. “Even if you are to be barren for the rest of your days, I will still love you just as much as I always have: irrevocably and very happily.” Tears spring in the corner of Sidney’s eyes. He lets his hand rest on top of Zhenya’s and willingly accepts every sweet kiss to his skin.

Sidney is so distracted by Zhenya’s attentive ways that he nearly misses the soft, golden silk carefully being tied around his right wrist. He bites back a smirk and a groan when Zhenya begins to slowly manhandle him onto his knees, ass in the air, head and shoulders in the pillows. Zhenya ties each wrist to each ankle and gently bites the meat of Sidney’s left ass cheek. Sidney whines high in his throat.

“You going to be good, Sidka?” he growls. Sidney breathes heavily and moans when he feels two slick fingers push quickly and roughly into him. Long gone are the days where Zhenya is entirely too careful and fearful of hurting his husband. Sidney is most certainly not complaining.

“Always, my King,” he breathes. He doesn’t have to look at his husband to know that he is grinning predatorily.

Sidney surely has been blessed to have a husband like his.

**/\\\//\\\//\**

Another month passes before Sidney goes to see Nicklas again. He has not bled this month, so he is confident that he has finally conceived a child. He is disappointed when Nicklas tells him that he has not.

He tries not to let his sadness show to the people around him, but the Head Royal Seamster knows Sidney all too well now that they have known each other since Sidney first came to King’s Landing.

“Something is on your mind,” Flower says as he sews together Sidney’s new black and gold tunic. Sidney sighs from his seat in the window.

“I’m fine, Flower,” he tries to convince his friend.

“Yes, like my Vero is perfectly fine when she is entirely too miserable for her own good.” Sidney rolls his eyes. “There is nothing wrong with being unhappy about the problems you face.”

“I’m just sick of the Royal Council constantly breathing down my neck,” Sidney says angrily. “Bettman is the worst of them all. He always has something to say about my _fertility dilemma,_ and it is unbearable.”

“I'm surprised the King has not killed him or had him executed yet.”

“You can't execute a man just because he is a peevish worm.” Flower cackles.

“I can only imagine how much Evgeni wishes he could. He’s always hated Bettman.” Sidney nods and shrugs in agreement. “Don’t let this discourage you. You have been married to the King for all of a year, and you’re only twenty-two years old. Evgeni is twenty-three. You two have plenty of time.”

“Not according to everyone else in Westeros.” Flower rolls his eyes and hisses as he misses a stitch.

“I would not be too worried about it, Sidney. Everything will work as it should.” Sidney grins bemusedly.

“You sound just like my husband.” Flower cackles and finishes the stitching for Sidney’s new robe. He has Sidney try it on, and the King Consort is nothing short of impressed, as always. “You truly are the most gifted seamster in all of Westeros.”

“This is nothing, and you know it.” Sidney does know it. Flower has designed every last garment that Sidney has worn since arriving in King’s Landing, and he is nothing short of thankful for Flower’s talent. He needs the best tailor in all of Westeros if he is ever to look decent and appropriate in front of his people. No one else will ever do.

The longer Sidney stares at his reflection in the tall mirror, the more his hazel eyes drift to his still flat and rigid stomach. He absentmindedly rubs his hand right over where his womb sits and sighs to himself. Flower watches on with a kind face.

“Give it time, Sidney. You and Evgeni will become parents to children that share your blood soon enough.”

Sidney can only hope that the Seven will bless him and his husband very soon.

**/\\\//\\\//\**

Sidney knows that he has been terribly bitter and irritable as of late, but the frustration of still remaining heirless after trying vigorously since being married is driving him mad. His friends in the Red Keep have been avoiding him like the plague, and even his own husband has made complaints.

“If you speak so terribly of yourself anymore, I will be forced to shut you up myself,” Zhenya had threatened one night in their bed in the middle of spectacular lovemaking. Sidney pouted and tried to say something else, but Zhenya was already stuffing a thick knot between his lips and tying the fabric around his head just before fucking him into compliance and silence. In moments like those, it's exactly what Sidney needs to feel better, as twisted as it sounds.

Sidney does not wish to be rude to Sarah, his new young maid, but he is on the verge of angry tears when he sees just how awful his breakfast looks. And the _smell_ makes him want to vomit across his fancy rug. It takes every ounce of strength he has not to slap the tray from her hands and send his food cluttering to the floor. He wants to send Sarah back down to the kitchens and have her bring him new food, but he remembers her complaining just the night before about her poor, aching feet. He is so terribly angry and frustrated and very, very hungry.

“Please don’t cry, Your Grace,” Sarah begs quietly. “I can bring a new platter of food—”

“That won’t be necessary, thank you,” Sidney insists. He sniffs loudly and removes the tray from Sarah’s hands to sit it down on the small chest at the foot of his and Zhenya’s bed. “I will find something to eat later. You are very tired and need rest.”

“And you need to eat, Your Grace. You and your babe will surely suffer if you are not careful.” Sidney sighs deeply because he knows that Sarah is right. He has to think about his health and the health of his—

Wait.

Sidney slowly raises his head and stares at Sarah in bewilderment. “I am not with child,” he says firmly. “Where in this realm did you conceive such a thought?” Sarah tilts her head to the side and looks back at the King Consort, puzzled.

“Is that not why you have been so irritable and starving like a madman these past several weeks?”

“I have done many examinations with my Royal Physician. He says I have not yet conceived a child.”

“I hope I am not overstepping my boundaries, Your Grace, but—” Sarah bites at her bottom lip nervously. “When was the last time you bled?” Sidney should be offended that she would ever ask her King Consort such a thing, but now that he thinks about it, he has been consistently not bleeding for a while now.

“I can’t remember,” Sidney answers honestly. “Maybe three or four months ago?” Sarah’s eyes widen. “But Doctor Backstrom has already told me time and time again that I have not conceived a child since marrying my husband,” he quickly tells her. “What you believe is happening is impossible.” Sarah looks as if she is on the verge of saying something else, but she keeps her mouth shut instead. She nods curtly.

“Of course,” she mumbles. “My apologies, Your Grace.” Sidney sighs deeply.

“I'm not angry or upset with you, child. I only mean to say that—”

“I know. You don't want to get your hopes up. Believe me. I watched my sister and her husband suffer for years trying to bear children. It was heartbreaking, to say the least. But your time will come, Your Grace, just like my sister’s did. You and His Majesty will have your family. I know you will.” Sidney smiles small as he reaches for Sarah’s hand and squeezes it. Sarah gently tightens her grip right back with a soft smile.

“Thank you for being so kind to me,” Sidney whispers.

“And thank you for being kind to me as well, Your Grace.”

**/\\\//\\\//\**

Sidney tries to carry on with his days in the castle and in the city of King’s Landing like he has always done in the past, but he keeps thinking of what Sarah had said to him in his chambers. If he is showing symptoms of being with child, then why is every examination saying otherwise?

Sidney needs to know if he has conceived a child. Nicklas is a very skilled and brilliant Physician, but the King Consort has a feeling that he will have to do this on his own. He is not of the norm. He sits on the floor of the library hidden away in a deserted part of the castle and searches through his collection of spell books. He feels guilty for sneaking around behind Zhenya’s back like this, but he has to find out if he has actually been with child this whole time and just didn’t know it. The sooner he can prepare for the babe to arrive, the better.

Hours of searching unfortunately prove to be futile, and it leaves Sidney seething. He wills himself to refrain from throwing his books everywhere and, instead, paces around the small study tucked away in the library. How is he going to be sure now? He doesn’t want to put more pressure on Nicklas, which is why he has not been examined for the past two months, and he cannot raise Zhenya’s hopes.

Despite his husband’s positive words, Sidney knows that Zhenya is just as anxious as he is to finally have a child of their own. They are most certainly happy with Jake being a part of their budding family, but Sidney knows how desperate Zhenya is to have a child born of his blood. His husband is not very good at hiding his emotions and desires from him, which is really how it should be. He believes Zhenya when he says that he will still be happy with Sidney if they do not have children that share their flesh and blood. He only wishes for his husband to avoid ridicule from the Royal Council and the people of Westeros as a whole.

Sidney looks down at his stomach and rubs it gently. He has always pushed away the thought of being able to have children because of his dream to become the Commander of the Northern Army. He even laughed at the chance of finding a husband or a wife to build a family with. Now he has a husband and a child they have adopted together with the possibility of conceiving another looming over their heads.

“I just wish you would tell me if you were really here,” Sidney whispers. “Your papa and I would love you so much if you were real. We would give you the whole world and more. I just know your papa would spoil you rotten, and so would I.” His eyes begin to water at the thought of Zhenya chasing after their three young children, all of them shrieking happily as their papa pretends to be a roaring bear. Sidney imagines himself holding their youngest babe on his hip, watching on with a smile on his face. The hot tears land on his fingers.

“I just want to know if you’re there. I _need_ to know.”

Sidney sniffles loudly as he sends his books back to their rightful hiding spots and quietly leaves for the kitchens. He makes his own food now since nothing the cooks make ever satisfies him. The servants stare incredulously at him when they see his rather disgusting looking concoctions. Sarah raises an eyebrow at the meat stacked with cheese and melted chocolate on top of everything. Sidney shamelessly shrugs and eats every bite.

Afterwards, he walks to Flower’s chambers. He is in need of new clothes to wear casually into the city. When he arrives, Flower already has fabrics laid out for Sidney to pick from. All of them are in shades of red, black, and gold.

“You’re late, Sid,” Flower teases. Sidney rolls his eyes. “No matter. Let’s get some new clothes made for you.” If the Royal Seamster notices that Sidney has been crying, he is a good enough friend to not say anything about it. Sidney stands in front of the mirror and watches Flower create his new clothes. If he did not pay such close attention amidst their chattering, Sidney would have missed the way Flower very discreetly takes the fabric out so that it is not as fitted as it usually is.

Sidney almost asks why Flower is making his clothes bigger, but a sudden wave of nausea hits him so quickly, he barely makes it to the bowl in the washroom in time. Flower is right there next to him and rubbing his shoulders as he continues to vomit.

“By the Seven, Sid,” Flower exclaims later, “what did you eat?” Sidney shrugs as he drinks some water.

“Meat and cheese and chocolates,” Sidney replies. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“What kind of meat and cheese?” Sidney shrugs aimlessly.

“Yellow cheese, mostly. And I think freshly smoked boar. It's all I have been able to eat as of late without being ill. Well, except for today.” Flower narrows his eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You hate boar and yellow cheese,” Flower deadpans. “You specifically told the cooks not to make either of them for you not long after you settled in. So why would you suddenly be craving the very things you hate?”

Sidney blinks. He remembers now that he is supposed to hate those foods, but he has been craving them almost constantly for the past three months, now that he thinks about it. And he has not bled in four months. And he has been in a very consistently unpleasant mood as of late.

Oh.

_Oh._

Sidney’s jaw drops as his eyes dart between Flower’s smug expression and his own belly. How could he have not seen the signs? His shock melts into pure, unadulterated joy of the highest tier as he rises to his feet.

“I have to find my husband.”

**/\\\//\\\//\**

Sidney sprints as fast as he can toward the strategy room, not slowing down for even a moment. The adrenaline of the happiness he feels is what keeps him going through the Red Keep.

He and Zhenya are having a baby. They are finally going to have the child they have been fighting so hard to conceive. Meetings with the Royal Council be damned. It can wait. This is much more important.

He pulls the heavy double doors open and shouts, “Zhenya! I just received the most wonderful news! I'm—I’m finally—”

Sidney trails off when he sees his husband on his knees in the middle of the room, gagged with his hands bound behind him and a knife resting against his throat. Masya, Zhenya’s Direwolf, is whimpering in the corner, blood gushing from a particularly brutal wound across her stomach. The man holding Zhenya captive is staring as Sidney with a vicious grin.

“Glad you could join us, Your Grace!” the man says happily. “You will most certainly not want to miss this!” Sidney’s emotions immediately shift from good to bad to violent as quickly as is humanly possible.

“Unhand my husband,” he commands.

“Now why would I do such a thing? Those are not the orders I was told to follow. Now why don’t you be a good little whore and kneel for me?” Sidney’s nose twitches in disgust and stays right where he is.

“I kneel for no man other than my husband. You will have to kill me first.” Zhenya’s pleas are muffled by the rag in his mouth and then stopped altogether when the knife cuts the skin of his cheek. Sidney tries to run to his husband, but the captor’s knife has returned to Zhenya’s throat.

“Ah, ah, ah,” the masked man singsongs, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Sidney doesn’t move. He is tempted to use his magic to kill this monster, but Sidney senses more people in the room. Zhenya’s captor looks over Sidney’s shoulder and says simply, “Kill the Consort.”

Sidney spins around in time to fight off the three men ordered to kill him. He does his best to dodge every blow toward his stomach and hits back just as hard as he would if he was not carrying his child. He leans back and away from a blade aimed for his throat and rises up just as quickly. He knocks the blade out of the man’s hand and takes him by the neck. Sidney is satisfied with the familiar crushing and grinding of bone as he sends the man headfirst into the stone floor. He knows he is dead on impact, so now he can worry about the others.

The next man up is not as strong as Sidney's first adversary, so he is easily dead in a matter of seconds, thrown right into his fellow living man’s blade. The third and final opponent puts up a hard fight, but he eventually finds his neck being shattered as the King Consort twists his head violently to the side.

Sidney drops the last assailant to the ground in front of him and steps over his body. The man holding Zhenya in place tightens his grip in Zhenya’s hair. Zhenya’s pained gasp is enough to stop Sidney from taking another step.

“One more move, and he dies,” the man snarls. Any other man or woman in his position would most likely beg for Zhenya’s life to be spared, but he knows that will do him no good. This man’s job is to murder the King, and he will do it regardless of Sidney’s pleas. Sidney has to be strong and smart if he wants his husband to live.

“If you do not unhand my husband,” Sidney threatens in a low, dangerous voice, “then I will have no choice but to kill you.” Sidney pauses. “Then again, you will be dead either way because it seems the only way I can stop you is by killing you myself.”

“Like you will be able to stop me! You have no weapon of your own!”

Sidney narrows his eyes as he focuses his magical energy on secretly retrieving a knife from one of the dead intruders. “Did you forget that I was once the First Lieutenant Commander of the Northern Army?” the King Consort says matter-of-factly. “It seems that people have a hard time remembering that piece of knowledge. No matter to me if you remember, though, since you are about to die and pay for your crimes against the Crown.” Zhenya's captor laughs darkly.

“You cannot stop the forces of House Foligno,” he warns. “House Malkin will fall to ruin with the death of the beloved King of Westeros! Long live King Nicholas of House Foligno!”

Sidney does not have time to think when the man jerks Zhenya’s head back to slice open his husband’s throat. He magically has the blade in his hand and he throws it, sending it flying into the attacker’s forehead and killing him instantly. The attacker falls backwards, while Zhenya falls to his side. Zhenya shakes his head at Sidney walking over to him and jerks his head back at Masya. Sidney bites his lip and almost his husband’s request, but Zhenya is adamant about Sidney saving the Direwolf first.

Sidney uses a common animal healing spell he has had to use on Valerian several times as of late. It takes a little more energy and time because the stab wound is horrendous and bloody, but the spell works. Masya, though a little slow to rise, is determined to check on her master and make sure he has not been harmed.

Sidney follows Masya and lets her sniff his husband as he tends to him. He helps him out of his bindings and rips the cloth from Zhenya’s mouth.

“Are you all right?” Sidney asks while worriedly fretting over the cut on the King’s face. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“I’m fine, Sidka,” Zhenya assures Sidney with a hoarse voice. “Just thankful that they did not get to you first.” Sidney brushes Zhenya’s hair from his forehead and kisses him there.

“You could have died,” Sidney murmurs quietly. _Our unborn child would have been without their papa,_ he realizes. One wrong move, one moment’s hesitation, and it would have been Zhenya dead on the floor. The thought alone has Sidney sobbing brokenly into his husband’s shoulder. Zhenya hugs Sidney close to him and stays silent. The tears soaking into Sidney’s robes is all the confirmation he needs that Zhenya is just as shaken from the events that have transpired.

There are so many questions to ask. Where is the rest of the Royal Council? Why was Zhenya left alone in the first place? Is Zhenya really physically all right? Sidney’s mind is spinning with unanswered questions, but for now, he will enjoy the fact that his husband is alive and well and so is he and their unborn babe.

**/\\\//\\\//\**

Sidney cares for Zhenya in their chambers that night after Nicklas has come by to check on Zhenya’s knee that was injured during the River War. Sidney is not going to tell Nicklas of the discovery of his child just yet due to all of the stress the castle has been put under. Besides, he wants his husband to be the first to hear it from him. He just needs to find the right time.

“You have a death wish, husband,” Sidney chides fondly as he massages the skin around Zhenya’s knee. Zhenya groans and rolls his eyes.

“The price I pay being King,” he says to the ceiling. Sidney laughs and leans down to kiss his husband. Zhenya tries to deepen, but Sidney pulls away before he can.

“Not until you are fully healed and rested.” Zhenya whines.

“You have gone from being my insatiable lover to a mother hen.” Sidney bites back the smile creeping over his lips. As he turns away to retrieve the oils sitting by the bed, he decides to say almost simply enough:

“Well, practice does make perfect, does it not? Jake has been very good practice when it comes to caring for a babe, but being a _mother hen,_ as you put it, is a different thing entirely. Hopefully I will have perfected my craft by the time this babe comes along.”

Zhenya does not respond. Sidney turns around to look at his husband, who is staring at Sidney with a very perplexed yet hopeful expression. Sidney can't do anything other than grin.

“What did you say?” Zhenya breathes. Sidney takes Zhenya’s hand in his and gingerly lays it across his stomach.

“I’m with child, my love,” Sidney announces softly. He drops his voice to a whisper. “We’re going to have a baby.”

Zhenya’s dark eyes widen and become glassy as he looks between Sidney’s belly and face. “Are you sure?” he asks. “I thought Nicklas—”

“I haven’t had him examine me in two months. But I just know it, Zhenya. I feel this child within me. I think I have felt it this entire time but never realized it.” Zhenya lets one tear fall as he beams shakily. He leans in and kisses Sidney sweetly. Sidney giggles into the kiss and lets Zhenya shift them around until Sidney is straddling his lap. Zhenya caresses Sidney's hips, thighs, and belly with a gentleness Sidney knows well enough to be his husband’s purest form of showing love when words fail him.

“Our child,” Zhenya whispers in awe while staring at Sidney's flat stomach.

“I will have to speak with Nicklas to confirm it,” Sidney says, “but I am sure this time. I know that our child is inside me.” Zhenya laughs breathily.

“I do not doubt you, my love. I trust you. I will always trust you.” He brushes a loose curl behind Sidney's ear and kisses his cheek. Sidney blushes happily. “Hello, little one,” Zhenya coos to Sidney's stomach before leaning down and kissing the spot right above Sidney’s navel. “I'm your Papa.”

Sidney lets a tear or two escape his eyes as he watches how gentle and loving his husband is being. He knows that he has been blessed by the Seven to have such a wonderful man for a husband. Now they will get to be fathers to a child who will share their blood, who will one day rule Westeros and keep the Malkin dynasty alive and well.

“I love you,” Sidney whispers. Zhenya grins and hugs Sidney close, resting his forehead on his husband’s chest. Sidney drapes his arms around Zhenya’s wide shoulders and buries his nose in his husband’s messy hair.

“I love you, too, Sidka.”

**Author's Note:**

> WARNINGS (spoilers ahead):
> 
> \- A major male character has the ability to carry children through a curse. He has problems trying to conceive in this story.
> 
> \- One scene of implied sexual content. Nothing too explicit, but the rating is Mature.
> 
> \- There is a scene of graphic, bloody violence that is caused by an assassination attempt. A major character fights off three men while pregnant and kills them all violently. One is killed my having his head smashed into the floor; another is stabbed to death; and one more man has his neck broken.
> 
> \- A major character kills a minor character by throwing a blade into his forehead.
> 
> \- There is a scene where an animal has been brutally stabbed but survives her wounds.
> 
> If I miss anything, please message me and let me know.


End file.
